It remains to develop the internal market and encourage the annual per-capita consumption of fish and shellfish, which is 12 kilograms. Although the country has an important industry, a good part of the consumption is of imported products.
This is revealed by the study “Perceptions of the Mexican consumer”, of the Mexican Council for the Promotion of Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (Comepesca), in alliance with Collective Impact for Mexican Fisheries and Aquaculture.
We recommend: Be careful with shellfish: more than 40 percent are replaced by lower quality products
It should be noted that while the world average consumption is 20 kilograms per person, in Mexico an average of 12 to 13 kilograms is consumed, despite the fact that the country is one of the 20 largest producers of fish and shellfish in the world.
The country has an important fish and shellfish industry, both by capture and by aquaculture. Last September, the Agri-Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP) estimated that this sector would close 2022 with a growth of 1.4 percent compared to 2021, which is equivalent to 28 thousand more tons.
This as a result of the good performance of aquaculture, which since 2013 has played a relevant role in the national food industry and in the preservation of the ecosystem with an average growth of 2 percent.
The main cultured species are shrimp and tilapia, mainly. On a smaller scale, other species such as trout, catfish, and marine fish such as bass, totoaba, sea bass, among others, begin to gain relevance.
One of the best opportunities for fishing and aquaculture is in the development of the consumption of what Mexico produces, since until now, a good part of it is imported products.
The study refers to the fact that although the intake of fish and shellfish has increased in the last decade, going from 8 to 13 kilograms per capita per year, it is not in the same proportion as other proteins of animal origin such as milk, meat or eggs.
According to the Study, the respondents indicated among other reasons that fish and shellfish are difficult to prepare; that these are perishable and expensive products and that there is false advertising that harms this type of food.
The species that are most consumed in the country are shrimp, tilapia, red snapper, salmon and oysters.
The most frequent places of purchase are supermarkets and fishmongers.
EVERY 2 OF 3 SHRIMPS COME FROM AQUACULTURE
According to the Aquaculture Group of the National Council of Balanced Food and Animal Nutrition Manufacturers (Conafab), two out of every three shrimp consumed in the country come from aquaculture.
The balanced food industry contributes to the development of this activity in Mexico, which is one of the countries with the greatest potential, due to its diversity of climates and having 12 percent of the world’s biodiversity and more than 12,000 endemic species.
This industry is a pillar in the aquaculture value chain. It represents 65 percent of the investment required to produce shrimp on farms.
The companies associated with Conafab that make up the Aquaculture Group produce more than 95 percent of the balanced feed for shrimp and fish in the country and are key to food security.
In addition, they are the main source of financing and technical training for the aquaculture sector, in which producers find great support in their activity.
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The study Perceptions of the Mexican Consumer, by Comepesca, highlights that 60 percent of fish and shellfish consumers take care that the products they buy are obtained from sustainable aquaculture, a requirement that is generally met in self-service stores.
These are shellfish and fish certified for their good production or capture practices.
2023-08-14 16:33:25
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